U.S. airstrikes on a Shi'ite neighbourhood in Baghdad overnight killed at least 14 people including one woman and destroyed 11 houses, Iraqi police and residents said on Thursday.

The U.S. military said U.S. special forces called in the strikes after coming under fire from gunmen on rooftops during an operation against Shi'ite militants suspected of killing local police and Sunni Arabs...

Reuters television footage showed at least 11 buildings caved in or levelled in three adjoining streets in the densely packed neighbourhood, where fighters loyal to anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are known to operate...

Many residents were sleeping on the roofs of their houses at the time, trying to keep cool in the oppressive summer heat.